A Picture Paints a Thousand Words
by Dr Ingram
Summary: House sees the different sides to Cameron.


_A/N: In brackets is were pictures were meant to be in this story. If you want to view the pictures you can go to my Live Journal and view the story there. The address isin my profile. _

_Thanks to pucklove who betaed this for me_

**Picture Paints a Thousand Words**

_People choose the paths that grant them the greatest rewards _

_for the least amount of effort. _

_That's the law of nature, and you defied it. _

_That's why I hired you. _

_You could have married rich, could have been a model _

_you could have just show up and people would have given you stuff. _

_Lots of stuff, but you didn't, you worked your stunning little ass off. _

House was sat at his desk with one hand holding his head up as the other turned the pages of the portfolio, a bottle of scotch beside him. He re-examined the pictures in the portfolio, as the light from his desk lamp mingled with the moonlight, enveloping him in a warm glow.

He had stolen the portfolio from Cameron's brother, Michael, who had stopped by to see his sister after his interview for a position at a magazine. House had intended to corner both Cameron and her brother, if only to annoy and embarrass her somewhat. Cameron, however, had seen it coming and avoided House all together, while Cuddy plagued him about his clinic hours. He did manage to corner her brother for a few moments in the cafeteria before he had to leave and had been able to swipe his portfolio without him or Cameron noticing.

House had overheard Foreman and Chase discussing Michael's talent, and how sexy his sister had looked in the pictures he had taken. Chase had commented that he would have loved to have seen her in 'Playboy.' (Well what man wouldn't.) They were particularly impressed with a picture that featured shy little Cameron in a short leather skirt and bikini top. Hearing this had put a whole new fantasy in House's mind and explained the somewhat annoyed stare she had given her brother after showing Chase and Foreman the pictures and why she didn't want House anywhere near them. Foreman and Chase had continued to discuss it and had even asked Cameron why she never pursued it as a career. She had given them her standard thin lipped, head tilted to the side look. She had said it had never been an option to her and she had taken part in it only as a favour to her brother. Foreman and Chase had argued that she could have made a fortune from it and be dating some rich movie star or something. But she had just stood and listened numbly nodding her head as if she'd heard it all before.

House's curiosity was piqued enough already but after overhearing that conversation about Cameron in leather and the fact that Wilson had also seen the pictures had made him more determined to lay his hands on that portfolio. Wilson had been insufferable, gloating about what House had passed up on. He seemed to take a perverse pleasure in tormenting his friend about what he had seen.

_(Picture)_

Looking at the picture he smiled to himself. He knew that Chase and Foreman would make there own comments about this for a few weeks and would eventually let it drop. He, however, would do no such thing. Cameron knew that he would hold this information against her for months and months to come. When she found out that he had taken the portfolio she really wouldn't be happy with her brother.

She was, of course, gorgeous in the photo but he was somewhat amazed by it. The look of her eyes and the dark makeup and her hair forming a frame around her face was captivating. Her body was perfectly toned and tanned, and even though he could only see a small amount of thigh, her legs seemed perfect. He was also surprised that Cameron would have agreed to do that, to let people see the vixen within her. Even if it had been to help her brother.

"_So, a woman can't express her interest in sex without it being some professional power play?"_

"_No. If you look the way you do, and you say what you said, you have to be aware of the effect that it'll have on men."_

Cameron had made a point to avoid dressing in any sort of provocative way at work, and House assumed it was to deter the idea that she had been hired for her looks. He looked over the picture one more time. It was already imprinted in his memory.

The next picture seemed to truly show Cameron as herself and in his opinion this picture showed how beautiful she really was.

_(Picture)_

He couldn't help be captivated by her bare shoulder and it caused un-saintly thoughts to run through his head. He laughed softly to himself. The idea that she looked even more sexy covered up seemed so Victorian to House. And what was it about women and big comfortable cardigans that seemed so ordinary but could make them look even more beautiful? The picture was in essence Cameron. It displayed everything she was and wanted to be. Everything she was aiming for in life. Professionalism and family but with a desire to be more than a doctor, a wife or even a mother. House knew that was a desire that lived deep within Cameron. Her eyes seemed to sparkle and her faced glowed. He suspected that both this and 'Miss Leather' were pictures that had been taken before her heartache. Before she had turned herself into a martyr.

The last picture of Cameron was beautifully haunting. The black and white of the film had drained her eyes of their sparkle and her face of it's glow. Her eyes seemed to be radiating hurt and loneliness that could penetrate whoever glanced upon her. The fact that a simple movement of her arms could have left her fully exposed portrayed such a sense of vulnerability that it was captivatingly frightening.

_(Picture)_

House drank the remainder of his scotch still captivated by her vulnerability. This would be the picture that she wouldn't want him to see. She had learned to hide her vulnerability in front of him knowing that he would see the crack in her armour and then attack it to try and rip her apart.

House heard her before he saw her, the sound of her heals on the cold tiles. But not as cold as her eyes in the photo before him.

She opened the door to the office and the light from the moon cast an eerie glow across her face. She held a knowing and annoyed smile on her face. She strode determinedly towards his desk to snatch up her brothers portfolio but House was quick and pulled it towards him. She took the normal Cameron stance of crossing her arms and tilting her head, setting her lips in a thin line. "You know you almost gave my brother a heart attack. He was worried he'd lost it"

House smiled deviously at her with a glint in his eye. "And you Dr Cameron almost gave me a heart attack with your fetish for leather. Please tell me you still have that outfit and the whips and chains to go with it."

She ignored his sarcasm, as she knew she would be hearing jibes from him about this photo for a long time to come. "House, would you hand that back?" She demanded.

House laid the portfolio out on his chest and poured himself another scotch. "What's the magic word?"

Cameron rolled her eyes and held out her hand. "Please."

House looked up into the air and scratched his chin pretending to think. "No."

Cameron let an aggravated breath and stepped around House's desk to grab it from him, but House held out his cane to stop her and give him time to stand. His height was an obvious advantage as he held the portfolio high. Cameron stepped past his cane and reached to grab the portfolio but it was out of her reach. She let her hand drop to her side annoyed.

"Real mature, House."

House held out his arms and smiled. "Hey, you know me. Maturity is my middle name."

Cameron pursed her lips and crossed her arms, "I thought it was Richard…You know, as in Dick?"

House regarded her with an impressed stare and walked past her. "You know, saying stuff like that isn't going to make me give this back any sooner. In fact, I think I'll keep this and make a few copies for my personal use, post some around the hospital and perhaps post the others on the web. I'm sure there would be many teenage boys out there who would get some real pleasure out of 'Miss Leather'." He waggled his eyebrows and Cameron looked at him with mild disgust.

"House," She said treatingly as she stepped closer. "Give me back the portfolio." A thin and insincere smile crossed her lips. "Please."

House lowered his hand that held the portfolio and held it out to her. As she grabbed it he stubbornly held onto it a little longer, looking intently over her features and gazing at her body before pulling his hand away.

"Thank you." Cameron said as she stepped away from him and headed to the door. House watched her retreating form intently.

It was the last image of Cameron that was burned into his mind as he sped home on his motorbike. The image of her haunting eyes overflowing with loss and vulnerability her face coldly pained. He didn't think he had ever seen her look so beautiful.

_A/N: Please comment_


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